[officialchicken]

I'm having almost the exact same day as you today - except for the past 50+ years I have been t1d, and I'm back on MDI. I quit using a pump about 15 years ago. And it definitely improved my QoL just by not having to deal with all the insurance hassles. Removing that stress alone I think will extend my life longer than using a pump will.

> And believe me, when sour patch kids are an effective medicine, you have a disease that must just exist for spite.

Feel free to ignore below if spk's were just the closest, but there are better flavored non-melting options that also travel well.

I keep some Transcend gels (available from Amazon) on my nightstand and scattered all around my house. They'll "burn" if you need to suck down three or more back-to-back (I rarely need them, and when I do it's usually only 1) but they're a zillion times better than any candy with predictable (5-10 mins) time for the glucose to hit you - unlike candy. They recently changed the packaging design, so you'll need to snip a tiny bit off the corner (sorta like a tiny pre-cut) in case you need to open with the convulsions.

[bradleyy]

I always carry ice packs and a yeti cooler. I have some other carry rigs, but 99/100 times if you see me out and about, that's me: cowboy hat, wayfarers, and yeti cooler.

So I just keep sour patch kids all the time in my pack.

But I'm always up for something else, especially when the SPKs are in an "ick" season. I appreciate the recommendation. SPKs have an absurdly high glycemic index though and seem pretty predictable for me.

I really need to get proper glucose tabs and stuff, and be like a "professional diabetic"... but I'm working on time-in-range, not "did you swab with alcohol" at this point, lol. I just feel good that I'm not shooting through my clothes.

Sorry for the day, fellow traveller, hope you get things nailed shortly.

[njonsson]

The best high-GI food I have found is Welch's fruit snacks. They are superior to glucose tablets: (1) Can be swallowed whole quickly and easily, or dissolved by saliva. (2) More concentrated, so you can pocket or pack more glucose in less space. (3) Can be compressed in a pocket or backpack without turning to powder that leaks everywhere. A packet of fruit snacks is 17 g of carbohydrate, which is small enough to catch moderate crashes and large enough when doubled to catch major crashes.

[danbolt]

I don’t have diabetes, but I’ve heard from people with T1 that Welch’s work well for the reasons you mentioned.

When I browse the candy aisle at the store, I often wonder if certain treats tend to be better than others for administering glucose. In your experience, are there ever certain properties of candies that are more useful than others?

[bradleyy]

Ideally, you're looking for something that spikes blood sugar fast (i.e. high glycemic index). This is why e.g. Skittles/Sour Patch Kids/fruit snacks (mainly the kind that don't... actually have any fruit, lol) are a go-to for type 1s.

You're basically looking for something that's analogous: as crack is to cocaine, <low snack> is to sugar. Hits fast and doesn't last as long.

[bradleyy]

I have to admit, the fact that a 12 pack is the same as a case of energy drinks combined with my "goblin energy" doesn't bode well, haha.